"…"
Sasuke's forehead sweated.
He sensed a strangely familiar aura from the man before him.
'Why is he so similar to that thick-brows duo?'
'In this world, besides those two idiots, there's someone with this kind of personality? Truly rare.'
His face twitched, and Sasuke glared at Shuji (Obito) with a grim expression.
"Aren't you going to handle this guy?"
"I'm not his captain. How can I handle him?" Imperial Obito said indifferently.
Sasuke's heart jolted again.
'This Uchiha Shuji isn't the captain of their trio? Are they equals? Or is he their subordinate?'
'Are these two as strong as Shuji? Or even stronger? Don't kid me!'
"Explain everything, Obito. You didn't gather intel properly today—what were you actually doing?" Imperial Neji pressed.
Imperial Obito obediently recounted his thoughts and the events that transpired.
"I see… you wanted to lure Uchiha Itachi, but Orochimaru and Sasuke showed up instead. Subduing them now is fine too. Especially Orochimaru—as a genius scientist, his value is immense."
"We understand your intent to make amends. I'll report this to His Majesty the Emperor later."
Imperial Neji nodded.
"You're Shuji… no, Captain Obito? He told me to join the organization but revealed nothing about it. Can you tell me?"
Sasuke was deeply curious about the "Empire" organization.
"I can, but I'll only say it once. Believe it or not, I won't explain again."
Imperial Neji explained the dimensional world and the Empire's outline, while the three reverted to their true forms in the room.
Seeing two of the three had familiar faces, Sasuke paused, then smirked.
"Another world, a Shinobi Empire, another me, and everyone from Konoha… this is truly fascinating… Pfft."
Sasuke covered his face with one hand, laughing maniacally.
"Oh? You believe it?" Imperial Neji asked, surprised.
"No one can lie before these eyes!"
Sasuke smiled confidently, his eyes glowing red, revealing the spinning Mangekyou Sharingan.
"Hmm? Mangekyou Sharingan? This world's Sasuke awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan too? Worthy of the Capital's Twin Star title."
Imperial Neji sighed in slight admiration.
"That's after he took the potion I gave him." Imperial Obito interjected.
"…"
Neji's eyebrow twitched.
"I see… indeed, we shouldn't expect too much from people in this world."
"Don't say that, Neji! This world's Sasuke-kun just hasn't trained in Martial Arts! Come on, Sasuke-kun, train Martial Arts with me, ignite the flames of youth together! You'll definitely become super strong!"
Lee grabbed Sasuke's hand again.
"…You two… Hmph! I admit, without the Mangekyou Sharingan, I wasn't as great, but the me now is completely different!"
Sasuke's expression was unfriendly.
"Does he have the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan?"
Imperial Neji glanced at Imperial Obito.
"No way." Imperial Obito said helplessly.
"Then why's he acting so cocky?"
Imperial Neji looked puzzled.
"Maybe it's just his personality." Imperial Obito replied.
"I see. This world's Sasuke is like that—no strength but all bravado. Got it."
Imperial Neji's blunt words flushed Sasuke's face with anger, glaring furiously.
"Don't think you, Obito's comrade, can underestimate the Uchiha like that! Drop your condescending attitude, or I won't mind showing you how powerful the Mangekyou Sharingan is!"
"I know more about the Mangekyou Sharingan's strength than you do." Imperial Neji said, smirking. "But… if you want to fight, I'm ready anytime."
"Fight! Fight this world's Sasuke! Great idea! My youthful spirit is blazing again! Ohhhh!"
Lee's eyes ignited, brimming with excitement.
"Hmph! Since you want to feel the Mangekyou Sharingan's power, I'll show you."
Sasuke's expression darkened.
The group quickly used Kamui's spatial ability, appearing over ten kilometers from Konoha.
*RUMBLE!*
A fierce battle erupted.
The fight came swiftly and ended just as fast.
A few minutes passed.
Sasuke clutched his stomach in pain, staring at the white-clad man before him with a distorted expression.
This man was, of course, Imperial Neji.
Amaterasu's black flames burned around him but couldn't truly touch Imperial Neji's body, instead swirling within a Tai Chi pattern.
"How… a mere Hyuga has such power… able to reverse my attack, using its force to pierce my Susano'o…"
Sasuke's voice was filled with reluctance and regret.
"This is the power of Martial Arts. A regular Mangekyou Sharingan trying to defeat me is far from enough."
Imperial Neji's expression was indifferent.
"Don't be discouraged, Sasuke-kun! Martial Arts are super strong! Train with me, and you'll become amazing too! Then you can definitely beat us!" Imperial Lee consoled.
"What do you mean? You think you can beat me too?"
Sasuke glared at his opponent, furious and displeased.
"Right now, it shouldn't be a problem." Imperial Lee smiled, giving a thumbs-up.
"You all dare to underestimate me like this! Underestimating the Uchiha!" Sasuke was truly enraged, attacking Imperial Lee again.
And so…
A minute later.
Sasuke lay on the ground, his face swollen like a pig's.
"Y-you… you're a monster… one punch shattered my Susano'o… is this still humanly possible? Impossible… it shouldn't…"
"This is the power of Martial Arts! It can extend life, make you immune to diseases. At high levels, it can pierce the heavens, shatter mountains and rivers!"
"All ninjutsu and Kekkei Genkai pale in comparison. So come train with me!"
Imperial Lee gave Sasuke a thumbs-up.
"Hmph…"
Sasuke snorted coldly, suddenly recalling something, and asked: "The other world's me—who's stronger among you?"
"Of course, you're stronger! Our Sasuke-kun is super strong! The so-called Capital's Twin Star is a title bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor!"
"The brightest star among his peers. We're far behind." Lee said with slight admiration.
"Hmph!" Sasuke smirked.
'So I'm stronger in the other world! Losing to these guys now must be because I haven't trained in Martial Arts.'
He consoled himself, then recalled Imperial Lee's words.
"Capital's Twin Star, not bad… then who's the other Twin Star equal to me? Someone from another ninja village?"
He felt everyone in Konoha besides himself was ordinary.
"It's Naruto-kun." Imperial Lee answered.
"Naruto? Capital's Twin Star?"
Sasuke frowned, suddenly doubting the truth of the trio's earlier information.
'Don't kid me! That loser, worthy of being called a Twin Star with me? Does he have that ability?'
Sasuke felt displeased.
But he soon returned to the apartment with the Imperial trio, focusing entirely on training Uchiha Spiritual Martial Arts, staying indoors daily.
Whether to surpass Neji and Lee for revenge or to avoid being outdone by this world's Naruto.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Another month passed quickly…
"Haa…"
At Konoha's outskirts, Tsunade wore tight clothing accentuating her perfect curves, her fingers moving swiftly, firing air bullets from her fingertips, shattering distant wooden stakes one by one.
Beside her, among Naruto's top Martial Arts students, Shizune clapped repeatedly.
"As expected of Tsunade-sama, truly amazing. Your Shigan's finger strength far surpasses Naruto and Sakura."
"Hokage-sama's aptitude must be a Martial Arts genius, right?" Kiba asked.
"Hokage-sama's youthful spirit blazes, unmatched by anyone, even more dazzling! It's decided! Today, we'll train 5,000 Geppo steps! If you can't, 3,000 Tekkai punches!"
Lee's eyes burned, shouting passionately at Tsunade.
"Woo woo woo! Lee's right! My spirit's blazing too!" Guy shouted loudly.
"Hahaha! Then let's burn together! For youth and a brighter spirit!"
Imperial Lee, now familiar with everyone, laughed heartily.
"Tsunade-sama's Shigan could be renamed Shiganho… such terrifying power." Kakashi commented.
"Granny Tsunade is amazing. If my Martial Arts teacher evaluated her, I'm sure he'd praise her as a Martial Arts genius!" Naruto praised.
"Hmph! Who do you think I am?"
Tsunade said proudly, then her expression grew serious:
"But… the deeper I delve into Martial Arts, the more I understand its power. True Qi's control over the body far exceeds my prior knowledge, and its versatility is incredible."
"When I combined Tremendous Strength Fist principles with Shigan, my Shigan indeed transformed."
"As for genius? Kakashi, you're not inferior to me. Guy, you're the fastest among us in training, truly the Blue Beast."
"It's just luck—maybe this Martial Arts training suits me better." Kakashi said humbly.
"Kakashi-sensei training so fast is surprising, especially since your pure Yang energy leaks like a funnel." Naruto commented.
Tsunade and Shikaku's expressions shifted slightly.
Kakashi's eye even twitched.
'Naruto's spouting nonsense! Good thing others don't know.'
Kakashi stayed silent.
"Pure Yang energy? What's that? Does it relate to Martial Arts training? Can we add it? I want to learn Geppo and fly in the sky." Ino said longingly.
"Ahem ahem… it's a rare energy in the human body, impossible to add. Just ignore it, train well, and I'm sure you'll all master Rokushiki soon."
Kakashi encouraged, quickly changing the topic.
"Hahaha! Kakashi's right! Martial Arts are like Taijutsu. Only by igniting youthful spirit and training hard can we grow stronger! It's a path with no shortcuts! Only struggle! Everyone, stay spirited!"
Guy raised his right fist high, shouting loudly.
"Thick-Brows Sensei… you think everyone can be like you? Training 20 hours a day, a month of that, and I'd die." Ino said weakly.
"Hahaha! Everyone's spirit isn't burning enough!" Guy laughed heartily.
Others showed varied expressions.
Now, a month had passed.
All ninjas displayed different talents and potential in Martial Arts.
Among them, Guy stood out most.
Of course, Tsunade and Kakashi's Martial Arts talent wasn't inferior to Guy's, but Guy trained obsessively.
Others could endure such high-intensity training for a day or two, but a week or month? No chance.
Thus, differences naturally emerged.
So far, Guy progressed faster than Naruto. Tsunade and Kakashi were on par with Naruto.
The next tier included Lee, Neji, Choji, Kiba, and others, on par with Sakura.
The rest lagged one or two levels behind.
Realizing this early, Tsunade reassigned those with little training talent to missions.
Thus, Konoha's major and minor affairs remained stable.
There was even manpower to send out for external intelligence gathering.
*WHOOSH!*
An air-tearing sound rang out.
Everyone present turned toward the newcomer.
"Tsunade-sama! Urgent intel!"
The Konoha ninja who arrived looked anxious.
"Mm… I understand." Tsunade nodded, quickly moving away from the crowd with him.
Hundreds of meters away, the ninja relayed the intel.
"I see… Orochimaru's tracks found… and possibly the Sanbi… this intel cost an informant's life. We can't let Orochimaru roam free. If he controls the Sanbi, it could be a major problem."
Tsunade whispered, dismissing the informant, then headed back to the training ground.
While walking, she pondered how to handle this.
Orochimaru with Sasuke—Naruto mustn't know.
That kid was currently Konoha's deepest Martial Arts practitioner.
Lee, Neji, and Obito shouldn't be told either.
Regardless of their identities, with their strength plus a Bijuu's, it'd be troublesome.
So… who should take this mission?
Orochimaru wasn't an ordinary opponent… Kakashi? With his current strength and that eye, maybe.
Who else should accompany him?
Returning to the crowd, something unexpected happened to Tsunade.
Naruto said anxiously: "Granny Tsunade! I want to join this mission! I'll bring Sasuke back! This time, I won't let him go!"
"!"
Tsunade and others who heard were shocked.
"What mission? Naruto, what are you talking about?" someone asked, confused.
Some showed thoughtful expressions.
Tsunade frowned: "You heard from that distance?"
"I'm in Wind Breathing Style now. Besides strengthening my Wind ninjutsu, saving hand seals, and boosting speed, it also enhances my hearing significantly… so I heard." Naruto said seriously.
"I see."
Tsunade sighed, showing a headache.
"Granny Tsunade, I want to go. I want to teach Orochimaru a lesson and bring Sasuke back! Please let me go!"
"You're the strongest Martial Arts teacher in the class. If you go, who'll teach everyone?" Tsunade said, exasperated.
"Everyone's Martial Arts are at the initial stage, and Thick-Brows Sensei has mastered all Rokushiki—learning from him is the same. If that's not enough, learn from Tang. He's far stronger than me."
"Tang…" Tsunade hesitated, glancing at Imperial Lee following Guy.
"That won't do. The Sanbi is one of our targets."
Imperial Lee smiled, shaking his head.
"…!!!"
The Konoha ninjas were shocked.
They recalled Akatsuki.
Could this mysterious Tang be linked to Akatsuki?
Thinking this, they looked at Tsunade.
Tsunade, massaging her forehead, said: "Ugh… you heard too. Fine, do as you wish. Tang, go with Naruto."
"Tsunade-sama! What are you saying? The enemies are the Sanbi and Orochimaru—how can just Naruto and an honored guest go?" a ninja protested.
"Right, this mission's difficulty is clearly S-rank above S-rank. Konoha should send more people and handle it seriously."
"…You guys… fine. This mission will be taken by Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, Neji, Choji, Tenten, Shizune—all of you go with Tang."
Tsunade turned to Imperial Lee.
"Remember, go quickly and return quickly. Orochimaru's no saint—if there's a chance, eliminate him."
"Awesome! This time, I won't lose to Sasuke! I'll bring him back!"
Naruto clenched his fist, slightly excited.
"Rest assured, Tsunade-sama."
Imperial Lee gave Tsunade a thumbs-up.
"As long as I'm standing, no one will get hurt—I guarantee it!"
"Then I'm counting on you."
Tsunade nodded.
*WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!*
Imperial Lee, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and the others darted through the trees, each at high speed.
Among them, Naruto in Wind Breathing Style and Imperial Lee were fastest, far ahead.
Sakura, lagging behind, glanced at Naruto and Imperial Lee ahead.
She also eyed her panting teammates behind, frowning and shouting:
"Naruto! Tang! Slow down! Everyone's in bad shape—if we encounter enemies, we'll be at a disadvantage!"
"S-sorry, I forgot about you guys again…"
Naruto and Imperial Lee, leading the pack, heard and slowed to match the others, though their faces showed anxiety.
He desperately wanted to meet Sasuke again and bring him back to Konoha!
Sasuke with Orochimaru—every second with him was more dangerous!
Worried for Sasuke, Naruto's heart was restless.
But he forced himself to suppress his anxiety.
"W-we're fine… Naruto-kun, don't worry about us." Hinata said softly.
"Never thought I'd become a burden to this idiot Naruto one day. Really can't accept it!" Kiba said, displeased.
"Naruto always had good stamina. Now with Martial Arts, he's far stronger—it's normal we can't keep up." Shino said flatly.
"Tang's been training Martial Arts since childhood—his strength is impressive… feels no less than Tsunade-sama's." Shikamaru said.
'Not just no less than Tsunade-sama? Clearly way stronger!'
Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura rolled their eyes inwardly.
"Your Martial Arts are just at the initial stage—don't feel too down. Once proficient, you'll all be this strong." Kakashi encouraged.
"Kakashi-sensei, come on. Ninjas have ranks and talent differences, and so does Martial Arts, right? We're not geniuses like Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Tsunade-sama, or Thick-Brows Sensei. Catch up to them?"
"Probably impossible in this lifetime. But training Martial Arts does make us much stronger. It'll be a huge advantage against other villages in the future." Shikamaru said calmly.
"Right. With Martial Arts, Konoha can leave other ninja villages far behind!" The other Konoha 11 members were thrilled.
An advantage against other villages in the future?
In the future?
Kakashi looked confused.
If the Empire intel was true, that future might vanish.
*WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!*
While talking, the group kept darting forward.
Suddenly, Naruto's body halted, and he shouted:
"I hear them! Orochimaru and the others are there!"
He shot to the right.
Seeing this, the others exchanged glances, ignored their fatigue, sped up, and followed.
Soon, they emerged from the forest.
Under bright sunlight, a man in cloth attire with deep purple eye makeup led about thirty people standing by a large lake, staring at those emerging from the forest.
"Orochimaru! Give me back Sasuke!"
Naruto, first out of the forest, still airborne, shouted impatiently at Orochimaru.
"This guy again, so annoying."
Kabuto, beside Orochimaru, pushed up his glasses with slight disgust.
"Sasuke? Uchiha Sasuke?" Guren whispered, serious and surprised.
"So it's Naruto-kun… Sasuke isn't here right now."
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes flickering, noticing something odd about Naruto in Wind Breathing Style.
Then he shifted his gaze to Kakashi, Neji, Hinata, and the others behind.
But what caught his attention most was Imperial Lee, always by Naruto's side. Seeing his opponent's developed muscles, Orochimaru unconsciously frowned.
"Really bad luck… so many enemies at once. Looks like we can't capture the Sanbi without dealing with them first…"